Saskatchewan has announced an aggressive new plan to address the province’s greenhouse gas emissions. ‘The Saskatchewan Energy and Climate Change Plan” sets ambitious targets to cut the province's greenhouse gas emissions by 32 per cent below 2004 levels by 2020 and 80 per cent below 2004 levels by 2050.

Meeting these ambitious targets will be no easy task. According to the David Suzuki Foundation, Saskatchewan had the largest growth of any Canadian province in green house gas emissions between 1990 and 2004, and also has the highest ratio of greenhouse gas emissions to GDP.

"Saskatchewan has the most diverse primary energy resource base in Canada and exports nearly 90 per cent of the energy it produces," says Industry and Resources Minister Maynard Sonntag. "Through the stewardship of industry and government, we will reduce the environmental footprint of energy production and ensure that our economy continues to be green and prosperous."

In 2004, the oil and gas industry accounted for 33 per cent of Saskatchewan's annual greenhouse gas emissions. Electricity production accounted for another 24 per cent; transportation 16 per cent; and agriculture 14 per cent. Residential and commercial heating and other industries accounted for 13 per cent of the total provincial emissions.

The new Saskatchewan plan is built on five components, or "emissions reductions wedges" that will enable Saskatchewan to move from an unchecked level of emissions to meet its 2020 and 2050 targets. These wedges include:

-Conservation and efficiency measures by industry, business and homeowners;

-Carbon dioxide capture and storage measures in Saskatchewan's oil and gas industry and in the province's electricity sector;

-Increased use of renewable energy, including wind, solar power and hydrogen, and further development of Saskatchewan's ethanol and biodiesel resources;

-Reduction of methane and other emissions in the oil and gas industry, and methane and nitrous oxide emissions in the agriculture industry; and

-Creation of more natural carbon sinks in Saskatchewan's forests and soils.

The plan is designed to stabilize the level of greenhouse gas emissions in Saskatchewan by 2010, reducing emissions by 22 tonnes per person by 2020, which translates into a 32 per cent reduction from current (2004) levels. This represents the largest per capita reduction in Canada, and would reduce emissions by 80 per cent from current levels by 2050, a decrease of 55 tonnes per capita.

You can view the Saskatchewan Energy and Climate Change Plan by visiting: http://www.saskatchewan.ca/green

Each year, Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) and the Office of Energy Efficiency publish an Energy and the Environment Calendar that features artwork created by students between 6 and 13 years old from across the country. One winner is selected from each province and territory in Canada to have his or her artwork featured in the calendar.

Youth from all over Saskatchewan submitted some amazing artwork for the 2008 calendar contest. Climate Change Saskatchewan would like to congratulate Megan Delinte from Woseley, this year’s Saskatchewan winner.

To view Megan’s masterpiece and many of other great entries we received, please click here.

The calendar will be available to schools across the province, free of charge this December.

For more information on how to receive the calendars, or how to enter your school in the 2009 calendar competition, please visit: Natural Resources Canada's Calendar Club site, or e-mail us at info@climatechangesask.ca.